tomimi

But I'd be really sad if I ever lost it.

I can't let even one thing go missing. I'm better off keeping it with me.

Your recollections, your keepsakes, hmm...

Have you ever thought of putting them in a safe?

No, no way!

My treasures will be angry if I lock them in a box!

Well, then, give your dormitory a proper furnishing, and turn it into your very own museum. Maybe that'd be nicer?

Knowing to bear your recollections is a good thing, but perhaps in learning to unload burdens and adorn them, there's more significance still.

Um, I don't really, get what you're saying.

It's nothing. Just a solitary Liberi's meaningless soliloquy.

My question has already found an answer. Thank you.

Ah.

Do you want me to guide you?

No, it's okay, I think I can find my way! Thank you!

Then I'll bid farewell, Archosauria.

Perhaps we'll meet again very soon.

(Sargonian dialect) May your outlook be as boundless as the great forest.

(Graceful curtsy)

(She looks like she's really in a hurry.)

(Is that Liberi at the other end her sister?)

(They seem really close.)

(That's so nice.)

(I've reached the tiny fountain. Turn left...)

And this should be it.

Waah, Rhodes Island has stalls like this too?

It's your first time shopping at ours, isn't it?

The store's too cramped, and sometimes when we can't fit all our stock, the stall comes out. Of course, it's all approved and filed on record in advance. There's no shady business here.

What are you looking to buy?

I wanna buy the latest fashion magazine.

Fashion magazines come in many varieties. See, ones for getting into pendants and jewelry, ones putting out celebrity news, ones for announcing what's trendy in clothes, and—

Please give me the ones about clothes, thank you.

This one's... all sold out on the latest issue.

Okay...

(I'm having the worst luck today...)

But you're in luck. The Operator who bought the last copy's still here. If you really want to read it, you could go ask her if she'd be willing to share with you.

Okay!

Which one is she?

Over there, the one with pink hair.

She's called Blue Poison, and she's the first in to buy magazines every time. Seems she got held up today, and almost missed out.

Go give her a shout. She'll share with you, I think—

Alright, thank you!

Wait, I'm not done, she—

Whatever, sometimes less is more.

Maybe Blue Poison'll make a new friend this way.

H—Hello... would you happen to be Blue Poison? I'm Tomimi.

(So this is Tomimi? What a fine coincidence.)

(Holds out hand)

You want... to shake hands with—me?

Oh, I just thought, um, it's the polite thing to do and...

If you don't want to, then—

(Shakes Tomimi's hand)

I'm Blue Poison. I'm very happy to meet you.

Because of... reasons... most people aren't too happy to—make contact—with me.

So I was surprised when you held out your hand. Sorry for that.

Did you need something from me?

I want to borrow your magazine to read a little, is that okay? I'll give it right back.

Magazine? You mean this issue of Me Maze?

Yes.

I'm sorry, my Victorian isn't too good, so I can't read the words here so well.

I only just picked it up, so I haven't read it yet.

There's too many people around. Let's find somewhere to sit down and have a read at our own pace.

Okay, I'll follow you.

Um.

I'm done reading.

Thank you, Blue Poison.

Hm? Oh, no problem.

Miss Tomimi.

You can just call me Tomimi. Adding a title to a code name is a little weird...

Ah, alright, Tomimi.

This morning... what happened?

An operator at Medical said you could've cried the whole department six feet under water.

It's... kind of embarrassing to say.

You'll feel better getting it out. Give it a try.

Well, it's like this...

That's the whole story, more or less.

Please don't laugh at me...

Of course I wouldn't.

You know, I've heard that Archosauria never shed tears.

Tears are a sign of weakness, so you can never, ever cry in front of anyone else.

But even so, you'll still cry for Gavial.

And there's nothing embarrassing about it at all.

Ohh, thank you.

I see you have an interest in clothing and fashion magazines. Does your homeland have such publications too?

No, but sometimes Inam would bring some from the outside for me.

She's the one who does business in our place, so she always brings interesting stuff back. She taught me the outsiders' languages.

After I learned them, I bought books from her to read, and I really liked the stuff in some of them, so I kind of ended up reading more.

Such as?

City Beauty and other ones like that.

Mm-hm, that was a fairly notable fashion magazine for sure.

But... their works have been too streamlined, too cookie cutter. They've definitely lost a lot of their mystique... *sigh*...

I hear a few editors and photographers of theirs want to jump ship and set up their own shop. Who knows yet if that'll come to anything.

You really, really know a lot about fashion, Blue Poison. You're incredible...

Not quite. I just read around, and have some of my own tastes and opinions, that's all.

How about you, Tomimi? What is fashion to you?

I'm not too sure. My mother tongue doesn't have the vocabulary to talk fashion.

It has plenty for hitting people, though.

Hahah...

I think, fashion is probably nice-looking clothes, and simple and pretty jewelry.

Acahualla doesn't have anything like that.

The first time I opened that magazine was the first time I learned clothes could come in colors like that, and designs like that.